Interview – Birdy

Brooklyn – UK-darling Jasmine Van Den Bogaerde, better known as Birdy, is a 17-year-old prodigy whose work floats in the realm of emotive, expressive and accessible pop. After earning an international following with the release of her first album in 2011, the young musician has reached record levels of stardom in her yet brief career. In light of her latest record, Fire Within, Birdy spoke to BestNewBands.com about her career, what inspires her and what she envisions on the horizon. If you’re anywhere near New York, Birdy will be playing at the Irving Plaza on April 16th and 17th.

LR: You’ve been on the road for quite some time at this point, have you had any memorable shows to speak of or any favorite concert destinations?

JVB: I loved playing at Olympia in Paris recently. And, on my Australian tour last year, I was able to play three nights at the Sydney Opera House, which was incredible!

LR: What musicians do you admire, who would you list as your influences, what work out there really inspires you?

Growing up I listened to a range of genres; lots of classical music and I was also influenced by artists like Jeff Buckley, Tracy Chapman, George Michael and Michael Jackson.

LR: You received a lot of praise for your cover of Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love.” An incredible rendition, what lead you to choose this track? Who else are you listening to?

JVB: Thank you! I’ve always loved Bon Iver. I think I was drawn to Skinny Love because of its mysterious lyrics & fragility; those things reminded me of my own songwriting. At the moment, I’m listening to Jake Bugg. His new album Shangri La is wonderful. Paolo Nutini also has a new album coming out. I’m a huge fan of his.

LR: You began writing original music at an early age, but your first record was a compilation of covers. Fire Within is all your own. How did it feel to release only originals? What was the writing and recording process like?

JVB: It felt amazing to release my own music but also kind of scary. I was writing a lot on tour in Australia and did some co-writing, which was very new to me. I recorded the album with Rich Costey in LA and also with Jim Abbiss in London. I worked with both of them on the first album so it was loads of fun.

LR: You’ve had two singles on major motion picture soundtracks, Brave and The Hunger Games. What was it like writing for the big screen?

JVB: I was so inspired by the Hunger Games books and so, to be a part of the movie was amazing. I love cinematic music and telling the story of the characters. I got to sing on a song written by Mumford and Sons for Brave, it was wonderful to work with them and be a part of a Pixar movie!

LR: Your mother was a concert pianist, and clearly raised you to value music. What was it like growing up in an artistic family? Did you ever question music as a career path? If you weren’t a musician, what’s your alternate dream job?

JVB: It was a bit crazy really, extremely noisy. I never really thought about music as a career, it was just something I loved doing that felt very natural. When I was younger I wanted to be an artist writer or a hairdresser.

LR: It’s safe to say you’ve been wildly successful for your age, and for good reason. You’re particularly beloved in the UK, and have been in the spotlight since age 12. Do you feel like your age has any bearing on your career?

JVB: For me, age isn’t really a part of music, but I feel very lucky to be able to start so young and do something that makes me happy.

LR: What can we hope to expect next from Birdy? What do you hope to unfold for your musical career down the road?

JVB: I’m currently on tour supporting Christina Perri for the two months across America. This summer I’m playing some festivals! I’m already writing lots of new songs, which are quite different from usual. I hope for the future that my music will keep growing.

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Liz Rowley

Born in Mexico and raised in Toronto, Jerusalem and Chicago by a pair of journalists, Liz comes to BestNewBands.com with an inherited love of writing. After discovering a niche for herself in music journalism and radio while at Bates College in Maine, she always keeps a running playlist of new music to soundtrack her place in the world. Liz is passionate about helping dedicated, talented musicians gain the exposure they deserve. A recent transplant to Brooklyn from Hawaii, she is plagued by an incurable case of wanderlust and cursed with an affinity for old maps and old things like typewriters and vintage books. She adores photography and running and is very good with plants. Having come of age in Chicago, Wilco speaks to her soul. If she could be anything, she would be a cat in a Murakami novel.